Quantitative analysis of the anterolateral ossification mass in diffuse idiopathic skeletal hyperostosis of the thoracic spine.

Diffuse idiopathic skeletal hyperostosis (DISH) is a systemic condition leading to ossification of spinal ligaments and has been shown to behave similarly to ankylosing spondylitis (AS) often leading to unstable hyperextension fractures. Currently, no quantitative data are available on the spatial relationship between the bridging anterolateral ossification mass (ALOM) and the vertebral body/intervertebral disc to explain the propensity in DISH to fracture through the vertebral body instead of through the intervertebral disc as more often seen in AS. Furthermore, no reasonable explanation is available for the typical flowing wax morphology observed in DISH. In the current study, a quantitative analysis of computed tomography (CT) data from human cadaveric specimens with DISH was performed to better understand the newly formed osseous structures and fracture biomechanics. Additionally, the results were verified using computed tomography angiography data from ten patients with DISH and ten controls. Transverse CT images were analyzed to obtain ALOM area and centroid angle relative to the anteroposterior axis; intervertebral disc and adjacent cranial and caudal levels. The ALOM area at the mid-vertebral body level averaged 57.9 ± 50.0 mm(2); at the mid-intervertebral disc space level it averaged 246.4 ± 95.9 mm(2). The mean ALOM area at the adjacent level caudal to the mid-vertebral body level was 169.6 ± 81.3 mm(2); at the adjacent cranial level, it was 161.7 ± 78.2 mm(2). The main finding was the significant difference between mean ALOM area at the mid-vertebral body level and other three levels (p < 0.0001). The subsequent verification study showed the presence of vertebral segmental arteries at the mid-vertebral body level in nearly all images irrespective of the presence of DISH. A larger area of ALOM seemed associated with increased counter-clockwise rotation (away from the aorta) of the centroid relative to the anteroposterior axis. The results from the present study suggest a predisposition for fractures through the vertebral body and a role for the arterial system in the inhibition of soft tissue ossification.

Severe proximal aneurysm neck angulation: early results using the Endurant stentgraft system.

OBJECTIVE: Angulation of the proximal aneurysm neck has been associated with adverse outcome after EVAR. We aim to investigate the influence of angulation on early results when using the Endurant Stentgraft System. METHODS: A retrospective analysis of a prospective multicentre database identified 45 elective patients treated with the Endurant stentgraft with severe angulation of the proximal neck, which were compared to a control group without significant angulation. Endpoints were early technical and clinical success, deployment accuracy and differences in operative details. RESULTS: Mean age was 74 with 86.4% males. Mean infrarenal angle (ß) was 80.8° ± 16 and mean suprarenal angle (α) was 51.4° ± 21. Patients in the angulated group had larger aneurysms (mean 309 cc vs. 187 cc), shorter necks (mean 27 mm ± 14 vs. 32.6 mm ± 13) and 74% (vs. 56%) were ASA III/IV. Technical success was 100%, with one patient requiring an unplanned proximal extension. No differences were found regarding early type-I endoleaks (0% vs. 0%), major postoperative complications (6.7% vs. 6.2%; p = 0.77) or early survival (97.8% vs. 96.9%, p = 0.79). Distance from lowest renal artery to prosthesis was 2.4 mm ± 2.7 vs. 2.3 mm ± 4.8, p = 0.9. Operative details were equivalent for both groups. CONCLUSIONS: Treatment with the Endurant stentgraft is technically feasible and safe, with satisfactory results in angulated and non-angulated anatomies alike. No sealing length was lost in extremely angulated cases, confirming the device's high conformability. Mid- and long-term data are awaited to verify durability, but early results are promising and challenge current opinion concerning neck angulation.

Pulsatile distension of the proximal aneurysm neck is larger in patients with stent graft migration.

PURPOSE: The proximal abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) neck expands significantly during the cardiac cycle, both before and after endovascular aneurysm repair (EVAR). Clinical consequences of this pulsatility were anticipated but have never been reported. This study investigated whether there is a relation between stent graft migration and preoperatively measured pulsatility of the proximal aneurysm neck. METHODS: EVAR patients with a preoperative dynamic computed tomography angiography (CTA), an immediate postoperative, and a CTA at 3 years after EVAR were included. The preoperative dynamic CTAs consisted of eight images per heartbeat. Aortic diameter and area changes per heartbeat were measured at two levels: (A) 3 cm above and (B) 1 cm below the most distal renal artery. Postoperatively, the distance between the most distal renal artery and the most proximal stent graft ring was measured. Two patient groups were distinguished according to whether migration during follow-up occurred (group 1) or had not occurred (group 2). The aneurysm neck dynamics of the two groups were compared by using the t-test for unpaired data and multivariable logistic regression analyses were performed. Mean values are presented with the standard deviation. RESULTS: Included were 26 patients (19 Talent, 6 Excluder and 1 Lifepath). Stent graft migration of > or =5 mm occurred in 11 patients (group 1). The pulsatility of the AAA neck in these patients was compared with the pulsatility in 15 patients with no graft migration (group 2). There were no significant differences in aortic neck characteristics (angulation, length and diameter) or degree of stent graft oversizing between the two groups. At level A in group 1 versus group 2, the diameter increase during the cardiac cycle was 2.0 +/- 0.3 versus 1.7 +/- 0.3 mm and the aortic area increase was 49 +/- 15 versus 33 +/- 12 mm(2). At level B in group 1 versus group 2, the diameter increase per heartbeat was 1.8 +/- 0.3 versus 1.6 +/- 0.4 mm, and the area increase was 37 +/- 10 versus 25 +/- 15 mm(2). The heartbeat-dependent diameter and area changes at both levels were significantly higher in group 1 compared with group 2. Multivariate regression analysis showed suprarenal aortic pulsatility was a significant predictor for stent graft migration after 3 years. CONCLUSION: The preoperative heartbeat-dependent aneurysm neck distension is significantly associated with stent graft migration after 3 years. The aortic pulsatility in patients with stent graft migration is significantly higher than the pulsatility in patients without stent graft migration.

The influence of different types of stent grafts on aneurysm neck dynamics after endovascular aneurysm repair.

OBJECTIVE: Dynamic imaging provides insight into aortic shape changes throughout the cardiac cycle. These changes may be important for proximal aortic stent graft fixation, sealing and durability. The objective of this study is to analyse the influence of different types of stent grafts on dynamic changes of the aneurysm neck. METHODS: Pre- and postoperative electrocardiography (ECG)-gated computed tomographic angiography (CTA) scans were obtained in 30 abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) patients, 10 each from three different types of stent grafts (10 Talent, Endurant, and Excluder). Each dynamic CTA dataset consisted of eight reconstructed images over the cardiac cycle. Aortic area and radius changes during the cardiac cycle were determined at two levels: (A) 3 cm above and (B) 1 cm below the lowermost renal artery. Radius changes were measured over 360 axes, and plotted in a polar plot. An ellipse was fitted over the plots to determine radius changes over the major and minor axis for assessment of the asymmetric aspect and most prominent direction of distension. RESULTS: Baseline characteristics did not differ significantly between the three groups. Preoperatively, the aortic area increased significantly (p < 0.001) over the cardiac cycle in all patients at both levels: (A) mean increase 8.3 +/- 4.1% (2.0-17.3%); (B) mean increase 5.9 +/- 4.2% (1.9-12.4%). The postoperative aortic area increase over the cardiac cycle did not differ significantly from preoperative increases: (A) mean increase 9.9 +/- 2.2% (4.4-20.0%); (B) mean increase 7.7 +/- 2.4% (3.8-12.4%). The difference between radius change over the major and minor axis was significant both pre- and postoperatively for all three stent grafts, indicating asymmetric distension. Suprarenal, the distension showed a tendency to right-anterior and infrarenal to left-anterior. The distension and direction of the aortic expansion was preserved after stent grafting. There were no differences between the three types of stent grafts regarding their impact on the aortic distension or direction of this distension. CONCLUSION: The aorta expands significantly and asymmetrically throughout the cardiac cycle. After implantation of abdominal aortic stent grafts, the aortic distension and direction of distension remain equally preserved in all three groups. The three stent graft types studied seem to be able to adapt to the asymmetric dynamic aortic shape changes.

Dynamics of the aorta before and after endovascular aneurysm repair: a systematic review.

OBJECTIVE: An overview of the knowledge of thoracic (TAA), and abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) dynamics, before and after endovascular repair, is given. METHODS: Medline, EMBASE and the Cochrane database were searched for relevant articles. After inclusion and exclusion, 25 relevant articles reporting on aneurysm dynamics remained, allowing for comparison. Results provided in the included studies were assumed (statistically) significant if they were larger than the repeatability of the used method. RESULTS: The sample size of dynamic studies is limited and translational studies are missing. Magnetic resonance angiography (MRA) and computed tomographic angiography (CTA) were shown to have lower inter-observer variabilities than ultrasonography (US). The distension of several relevant stent-graft-landing zones during the cardiac cycle in both the abdominal and thoracic aorta are significant (mean diameter change of the AAA neck in the included studies ranged from 0.9 mm to 2.4 mm; mean area change of the thoracic aorta ranged from 4.8% to 12.7% at various levels). This distension remained preserved after stent-graft placement. Preoperatively, the renal arteries displace per heartbeat. Significant movement of the aorta in the anteroposterior (AP) and lateral direction, during the cardiac cycle, was observed. CONCLUSION: The aorta exhibits a wide variety of morphologic changes throughout the cardiac cycle. CTA and MRA are reliable modalities to investigate aortic shape changes during the cardiac cycle. Significant changes per heartbeat are reported in the AAA neck and thoracic aorta. The renal artery displaces per heartbeat. The clinical relevance of dynamic imaging has not been proven yet, but dynamic changes of the aorta have to be taken into account in stent-graft selection and future stent-graft design.

Aortic pulsatile distention in young healthy volunteers is asymmetric: analysis with ECG-gated MRI.

OBJECTIVE: Knowledge of aortic shape changes throughout the cardiac cycle can offer improved understanding of vascular pathophysiology and may have crucial impact on stentgraft design and EVAR durability. To understand underlying mechanisms of dynamic changes in aortic aneurysm (neck) morphology, the undiseased aorta has to be studied first. Objective is to visualize and characterize dynamic aortic shape changes in young healthy volunteers. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Fifteen healthy volunteers (7 male, median age 24 year, range 18-28) were scanned using ECG-gated balanced gradient-echo MRI, with 16 reconstructed cardiac phases. Transverse scans were made perpendicular to the aorta: (A) above the aortic bifurcation, (B) infrarenal, (C) juxtarenal, (D) suprarenal and (E) above the celiac trunk. After aortic lumen segmentation, radial changes during the cardiac cycle were measured, from the center of mass, over 360 degrees, and plotted. An ellipse was fitted over the distention plots, yielding the direction (AP:0 degrees, Right: -90 degrees, Left: 90 degrees ) and magnitude of radius change over the major and minor axis. RESULTS: Asymmetric distention was observed, with a variable rate per patient and level. Radius changes decreased from the proximal to distal aorta. Radius changes over the major axis ranged from 14% to 41%. At level A mean change in radius over the minor versus major axis was 1.4+/-0.2mm (17%) versus 1.6+/-0.2mm (20%), respectively. At B 1.7+/-0.4mm (22%) versus 2.0+/-0.4mm (25%), at C 1.7+/-0.4mm (22%) versus 2.2+/-0.4mm (27%) at D 2.0+/-0.4mm (25%) versus 2.4+/-0.5mm (30%) and at E 2.2+/-0.3mm (27%) versus 2.6+/-0.3mm (32%). Mean orientation of the major axis was (A) 0.8+/-23.3 degrees , (B) 1.8+/-31.3 degrees , (C) 14.0+/-15.5 degrees , (D) -28.8+/-48.0 degrees and (E) 18.4+/-22.2 degrees. CONCLUSIONS: Aortic pulsatile distention in young healthy volunteers is asymmetric, with up to 41% radius change in the descending aorta. This study offers a frame of reference for dynamic imaging studies in patients with aortic pathology and provides a valuable non-invasive tool for future research into aortic distention, development and localization of vascular pathology.